


Can't Help Falling in Love with You

by niccichi



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Pining Alastor, tags updated as story continues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23048386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niccichi/pseuds/niccichi
Summary: Angel Dust is notorious for having bad ideas. This time, Alastor is a part of those bad ideas.
Relationships: Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Charlie Magne/Vaggie, Husk/Niffty (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 288





	1. Start of Something New

“I can’t believe Charlie managed to get us in the ‘Get-Along Corner’ again.”

“This would be the tenth time this has happened, if I remember correctly.”

Angel Dust and Alastor were currently sitting across from each other in a faraway corner of the parlor, right underneath a sign reading _The Get-Along Corner_. The corner was created specifically for the spider and the deer demons, since their constant arguing and fighting was “going against the hotel’s moral code,” as Charlie put it. They would always sit there in silence with someone monitoring them for an hour (or more, depending on how well they behaved and if they failed to bribe their supervisor), and honestly, Alastor was tired of being treated like a petulant child.

It has been months since Alastor first showed up at the Hazbin Hotel. With a spontaneous introduction and a charming tune, he swept Charlie off her feet and managed to secure a spot as the sponsor of the hotel, regardless of how her girlfriend (who he found out to be named Vaggie) tried to convince her otherwise. He practically had a front row seat to watching sinners inevitable failing to reach their desired redemption. Everything was working out splendidly!

Well, everything other than that crass spider that seemed to make it his personal mission to provoke Alastor at any given moment.

Angel Dust – the widely popular porn star under Valentino’s heel – was the first patron of the hotel. It was clear that the spider was there solely for shelter rather than redemption, and this mildly entertained Alastor, knowing that Charlie was oblivious to Angel’s intentions for sticking around. However, Angel’s lack of filter and abnormally high sex drive deterred any chance for Alastor to find him remotely appealing.

And Angel was quick to reciprocate those feelings.

Alastor knew the arachnid thought he was a stuck-up prude, and he always tried to use this to his advantage. But Angel always found a way to get right back at him and they would find themselves back at square one all over again. At this point, their bickering has become a norm in the hotel.

Unfortunately, Charlie finally had enough of it, and thus the corner was created. She always managed to wrangle the two in it and find someone to stick around and deal with them. It hurt Alastor’s dignity that he allows it to happen, but it would make his presence in the hotel less desirable, and he kind of appreciated the amount of power he had with his titles of ’sponsor’ and ‘assistant manager’.

“If you hadn’t tried to make a foul attempt at a ‘flirt’, we wouldn’t be here!” Alastor exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Angel.

“Wha-? Excuse ME! That flirt wasn’t even for you! It was for Husk because I wanted a DRINK!” Angel huffed and crossed his two upper arms across his chest. “Besides, you wouldn’t know what a good flirt was even if it hit ya.”

“Why you little-“

“HEY!” Vaggie shouted from her place on the couch on the other side of the room, taking off her headphones. She was surrounded by scattered papers and hunched over the coffee table. “That’s the ‘Get-Along Corner’, not the ‘Get-in-a-Fight Corner.’ I need to focus on this paperwork, so do me a favor and shut your mouths.”

Angel rolled his eyes. “Whatever, toots. Mind your own business.”

“I will once you and the Radio Demon can do that yourselves.”

“Maybe Charlie should stick you in the ‘Get-Along Corner’ instead.” Angel muttered under his breath when Vaggie put her headphones back on, with the music noticeably louder than before.

“She’s a ticking time-bomb, that one.” Alastor mused.

“Ya don’t say.” Angel sighed, kicking a leg to cross over his other one. “Damn it, I could be feeding Fat Nuggets right now.”

“And I could be doing a broadcast, but not all of us are fortunate.”

A few beats of silence, minus the distant noise of Vaggie’s rock music, passed before Angel suddenly gasped.

“I have an idea.”

“I do not want to hear any idiotic thought your mind conjures up.”

“Fine, ya bastard.” Angel flicked a strand of fur out of his face. “But what if I told ya that we could permanently have the broads off of our backs?”

This peaked Alastor’s interest. He really didn’t want to be subjected to the corner all the time, it was so inconvenient. “…Do tell.”

Angel smirked. “We fake date.”

“I am no longer interested.”

“No wait, hear me out!” Angel tried to lay a hand on the Radio Demon’s shoulder, but Alastor jerked away. He retracted his hand hesitantly. “Sorry, forgot you’re a prude.”

“Please hurry along with your explanation before I decide that killing you is a better option.” Alastor gritted his teeth.

“You wouldn’t do that, you love me too much.” Angel cackled before noticing that the Radio Demon’s eyes were turning into radio dials. “Wait, wait, I’m sorry! I take that back. So!” Angel clapped his hands together as he straightened up, almost like he was about to deliver a speech. “I propose that we fake date. We could tell everyone that we have been secretly dating for a while now, but we’ve been fighting because we didn’t want them to know yet. Fake hating, but not fake hating while we’re fake dating!”

“You do realize this requires us to act like…” Alastor winced. “A couple, correct?”

“Well, yeah, but we only have to do it when the others are around. Like we don’t have to smooch in front of them, just do extra vanilla shit like hand holding or something. And if I can, I’ll try to respect your stupid five foot rule.” Angel explained. “We can avoid each other for the rest of the time. We could even do a break-up after they’re convinced. They wouldn’t wanna force two ex-boyfriends to be around each other, y’know?”

“Yes, but they’ll get suspicious if they don’t see us together often.”

“Then…shit, we’ll have to go on fake dates.”

“I don’t want to spend any more time around you than I’m required to.” Alastor’s grin sharpened.

“Ya got any better ideas? Because if we keep doing this, we’re going to be stuck in this goddamn corner for the rest of our afterlives.”

Alastor stayed silent. He really didn’t want to go through with this deal, but he truly didn’t have anything else. If they tried to act as friends, it wouldn’t be nearly as convincing as hiding a secret relationship under an illusion of hatred. It would be impossible for them to part ways as well, since they see each other daily. Even though he would have to deal with Angel more often, he wouldn’t have to spend time getting Charlie and Vaggie to stay away from his business.

“Alright then. I agree.” Alastor conceded, causing the spider to grin.

“Shake on it? Without the voodoo shit.” Angel extended a hand, and for a moment, Alastor hesitated. But he tentatively extended his hand and shook the spider’s hand and Angel grinned.

“Let’s do this, fake boyfriend.” He cackled.

“Do not call me that. Ever.” Alastor’s smile twitched. They would only have to do this for a little while. He could handle that. He was the Radio Demon, for Hell’s sake, he gone through much, much worse.

After all, how hard could fake dating be?


	2. The Fake Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel Dust and Alastor finally tell the rest of the group of their 'relationship'.

Angel Dust and Alastor decided that they would tell everyone about their ‘relationship’ the next day. They would gather everyone into the bar area and announce it, and hopefully with good improvisation and a dabble of good luck, they’ll convince everyone.

The two sat next to each other at the bar, with Husk behind the bar shuffling a deck of cards and Niffty, Charlie, and Vaggie standing in front of them.

“So, we’ve got something to tell ya guys.” Angel started. “It took a while for us to warm up to this, but we came to an agreement.” He placed a hand on Alastor’s shoulder, and Alastor nearly flinched. “We want to tell you guys that…we’re dating.”

Everyone was silent. Husk stopped shuffling his cards, Niffty stopped bouncing on her feet. It was dead silent.

“Bullshit.” Vaggie gritted out. “You two are up to something aren’t you?”

“What the – No, we’re not!” Angel feigned shock, but he did it surprisingly well. Alastor was floored at how well Angel could act. “Why the hell would I be lying about dating him?”

“Well, for starters, you two can’t be in the same room with each other without breaking out in a fight, and it’s no secret that you both are polar opposites.” Vaggie explained, her face getting redder and redder.

“Dear, have you ever heard of the phrase, ‘opposites attract?’” Alastor stepped in before Angel could get a word out. If this act was to work out, it would require the both of them to put in effort. “Even though we have our differences, we’ve come to acknowledge and work around them.” He even grasped Angel’s hand resting on his shoulder and let their conjoined hands dangle between them. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Angel’s slightly shocked expression and felt the spider’s hand tense in his, but he ignored it. Everyone in the room watched in shock at the action.

“But what about all the fighting?” Charlie questioned, her tone hopeful. “Vaggie’s right, you two fight all the time, and last I checked, couples don’t do that.”

“We didn’t want you guys to know yet. Or get suspicious about it.” Angel said. “Acting like we were fighting would make sure it didn’t get out.”

“Why didn’t you want us to know?” Husk asked, popping a bottle cap from a bottle of whiskey. That was good, they were starting to believe them! Just a little bit more…

“Well…” Angel trailed off, at a loss. Shit, they didn’t think this far ahead.

“I didn’t want Angel to be targeted.” Alastor lied.

“Targeted? What would anyone want to do with him?” Vaggie crossed her arms across her chest. Alastor felt Angel’s hand tighten around his again, but he wasn’t sure why this time.

“I am an overlord, darling. There is a plentiful amount of demons that would like to try their hand at eliminating the Radio Demon!” Alastor laughed. “What easier way to weaken an all-powerful demon than by aiming straight for his heart?”

He was certain that Angel’s face was reddening because he was nervous.

“He just wants me to be safe.” Angel murmured.

A beat of silence passed; it was the longest beat Alastor has ever experienced.

“Wow, and to think that I thought you guys hated each other!” Charlie sighed and placed a hand on her chest. “I didn’t realize you two cared about each other so much!” She smiled.

“Charlie – “ Vaggie reached out to her girlfriend, but Charlie wasn’t listening.

“I’m glad that you two warmed up to each other! You guys were on pretty bad terms when the hotel was starting off.”

“You two really do love each other!” Niffty cheered as she squished both of her hands to her cheeks and giggled. “Alastor never says anything like that about anyone, even me and Husk!” Alastor was sure he heard Husk mutter a “thank Satan he doesn’t” under his breath.

“Oh my gosh! I’m sorry for sending you two to that corner all the time, you guys are really good actors.” Charlie apologized, looking a little bit sheepish. “But I’m glad that everything is actually better than we thought! I guess this means that we don’t have to make you guys stay in that corner all the time.”

“Don’t worry about it toots.” Angel let go of Alastor’s hand and went to hug Charlie. “Ya didn’t know. And besides,” he flipped his hair and winked, “I wouldn’t be called Hell’s greatest porn _actor_ if I didn’t know how to act, right?”

“You just do heavily glorified fucking.” Vaggie muttered.

“Same difference.”

“Oh! This means you guys can actually go on dates now!” Niffty exclaimed, zipping up to the bar. She clung to Husk’s arm as the cat demon took a long drink out of his whiskey bottle. “Where do you guys plan on going? It had better be romantic for a first outing!”

“Oh, well…we’re still deciding Niffty, dear.” Alastor’s radio filter wavered for a moment. “But we’ll let you know if we come up with something.”

“We’ll leave you to it then!” Charlie said giddily, nearly bouncing back and forth on her feet in joy. She grabbed Vaggie’s wrist. “We’ll see you lovebirds later!” She waggled her eyebrows as she led her protesting girlfriend out of the bar.

Alastor and Angel glanced back at Husk and Niffty.

“What. This is my bar, I’m not leaving. If you want to be alone, find a place to be alone yourselves.” Husk grumbled.

“Be nice! They’re still new to this.” Niffty lightly slapped his arm and – if Alastor’s eyes weren’t betraying him – Alastor noted the tiny amused smile Husk gave her.

“Fine then, we’ll just leave. Let’s go, Smiles.” Angel strutted out of the room.

Alastor was just about to leave the bar when Husk stopped him in his tracks. “Hey, Al.”

“Yes, Husker?”

“Are you…for real about this?” Husk narrowed his eyes at the Radio Demon. Ah, of course, he should’ve known that nothing would get by the cat demon so easily. Alastor, for once, damned Husk for his observational skills.

“…Yes. I am. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have plans to discuss with mon ange.” He nearly cringed at the pet name, but he really had to lay it on thick for Husk to get off his back.

And it was a good thing he did, too, since Husk nearly gagged. “Yeah, go ahead. Please leave right now.”

“Gladly! Have a nice day, Husker, Niffty.” He nodded to the tiny demon and walked away.

Alastor immediately turned the corner only to find Angel leaning against the wall with a cocky grin gracing his face.

“ _Mon ange_?” He questioned.

“That is none of your concern. I was merely convincing him of our… _relationship_.” Alastor whispered angrily, his voice steadily growing staticky.

“Yeah, yeah. But it was pretty cute.” The sharp sound of microphone feedback resounded through the hall alongside Angel’s laugh. “So, how about Hellish Blends for our first date? Seems romantic enough for a first fake date!”

“F-Fine.” Dammit, he was stuttering. Curse this spider for doing this to him!

“Alright then!” Angel leaned in close enough for Alastor to smell the sugar cookie dust Angel bathes with. “Six o’clock, Friday night. I’ll see ya there, cervo.”

And with that, Angel strolled away, leaving the Radio Demon to wallow in his own embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to be a while. There may be a few mistakes in here since I didn't really look this one over, real sorry about that!


	3. First "Date"

Alastor tugged on his suspenders, tightening it before slipping on a pair of black gloves. He gave himself a quick once-over – it would be embarrassing for the porn star of all demons to one-up him. Alastor was wearing a simple red button up with the sleeves rolled up just above his elbows, black slacks with a red trim at the bottom, black dress shoes, and black suspenders. Not too casual, but not too fancy either. Just perfect for a café date!

Right?

The problem is is that Alastor has never been in a relationship with anyone before. Not in life and certainly not in his afterlife. He just wasn’t interested in commitment; his radio show and his hunts took a higher priority. So, acting like he was in love with someone (that he actually hated) was proving to be a tougher challenge than he had anticipated. The deer demon had to rummage through his closet for half an hour before deciding on an outfit.

He took a deep breath. Everything was going to be fine! It was just an hour of acting. He handled shows longer than that. He could certainly do this!

And with that thought, he put on his trademark smile, summoned his microphone, and teleported to the front of Hellish Blends.

“Thought you were gonna stand me up, Smiles.” Alastor whirled around at the sound of Angel’s voice, and saw the spider leaning against the window next to the café entrance. The taller demon wore a pastel pink off-shoulder long-sleeved crop top, high-waisted black jeans, and dark brown knee-high boots with his usual choker to finish the look. Alastor had to admit, the spider did have a decent sense of fashion. Not nearly as good as his, of course, but it’ll do.

“I see you cannot go a single day without wearing something that shows…more than what is needed to be seen.” Alastor grimaced as he held open the door.

“And I see that you don’t have anything but red in your closet.” Angel fought back as he strolled into the café. Alastor rolled his eyes as he followed.

After they ordered at the counter, with the cashier noticeably tensing up when the Radio Demon addressed him, the duo found a booth to sit at. There was a long moment of silence before Angel broke it.

“Listen, Al –"

“Don’t call me that.”

“Whatever,” Angel waved his hand as if to brush him off, “I just wanna say that if we really wanna sell this act, we hafta be obvious about it.”

“No, we don’t. None of the hotel staff are here with us right now.” Alastor retaliated.

“But everyone knows who the princess is.” Angel explained. “And everyone knows who we are. There is no way we can be discrete about anything. Word could get around that we’re fighting or something and that could make Cha-Cha find out the truth. It could make _everyone_ find out the truth. Besides – “ Angel shrugged, “I get a break from Valentino, too. So I win!”

“I find it hard to believe that you enjoy taking a break from your…promiscuous acts.” Alastor squinted.

“I don’t. It’s just Val that I…” Angel trailed off, and Alastor noted that his demeanor changed drastically. “I-It doesn’t matter. Ain’t none of your business.”

Alastor was quiet for a moment. “You don’t like your employer?”

“Not really.” Angel murmured. “Listen, I don’t wanna talk about this right now. It’s a fucking mood killer. What I wanna talk about is the ground rules for our fake date!” He laid his head on his hands as he leaned over the table and shot the Radio Demon a grin.

Alastor blinked before sharpening his grin. “Don’t say it too loudly! Didn’t you say that there are people watching us?”

“Oh yeah. Shit.” The spider widened his eyes before glancing around the room. Luckily, no one seemed to notice his outburst. He let out a sigh of relief. “Ok, but we still need to talk about the ground rules. Ya got anything?”

The Radio Demon hummed. “Do not be overly excessive with your act.” Alastor said. “If you can help it, please restrain yourself from touching me.”

“But what about the hand-holding and hugging stuff? Couples do that, Al.”

“I just said to not call me Al. As for those…” Alastor twiddled his thumbs with his hands resting on the table. “I prefer if you make sure that I know about those touches before you do it. I’m not…comfortable with sudden touches.”

“Is that why you flinched when I put my hand on your shoulder the other day?” Angel questioned.

“…Yes.”

“Am I allowed to ask why?”

“No.” Alastor furrowed his eyebrows and sharpened his grin, radio filter growing staticky. “That is none of your concern.”

“Oh…Okay then.” The conversation paused for a while when their food came around. Angel ordered tiramisu and a vanilla frappuccino while Alastor just had black coffee.

“What the hell? You drink it straight up like that?” Angel grimaced as Alastor took a sip from his cup.

“Of course I do. If anything, I should be asking how you can tolerate those sugary drinks of yours. They’re disgusting!”

“That’s because my taste buds work! Yours are probably broken by how much bitter stuff you put them through.” Angel huffed.

Alastor laughed sarcastically. “They aren’t broken, they work just fine!”

“Alastor?”

Alastor froze as Mimzy and Rosie, two of his close friends, walked up to the booth. “We didn’t expect to see you here!” Mimzy exclaimed.

“Oh, yes, hello! I hadn’t expected to see you ladies here either!” Alastor’s voice cracked. Angel snickered, causing Alastor to kick his foot under the table, internally cackling at the small yelp the spider let out.

“Are we interrupting something?” Rosie questioned, looking pointedly at Angel. “An outing?”

“Uh…yeah! We’re on a date right now!” Angel looked over at Alastor and inched one of his hands closer to Alastor folded ones on the table, silently asking if he could hold Alastor’s hand. The Radio Demon mentally let out a sigh of relief. Angel was following one of his rules! Alastor’s smile was less menacing and more genuine than before, as he grasped Angel’s hand in his before resuming his usual smile. Perhaps he was underestimating the other demon a bit much.

Mimzy’s jaw dropped as Rosie let out an amused ‘oh’.

“Really?!” Mimzy gasped.

“Mmhm.” Angel brushed a few straggling strands of fur out of his eyes with a hand, almost looking bashful. “Shocking, huh? Hell’s greatest porn star, bagging the infamous Radio Demon!”

Alastor’s fellow overlord gave him a once-over. “Why, Alastor, I had no idea that your taste consisted of those in the Lust circuit! You didn’t seem like the type.”

“A-Ah, well…Not all of them!” Alastor stammered. “It’s just…this one in particular.”

“Oh my gosh!” Mimzy squealed. “I thought you were going to be a loner forever!”

Alastor winced. “Excuse me?!”

“But I’m glad you’ve found someone to settle down with!” Mimzy leaned in close to his ear, feigning secrecy. “And a good looking one at that too.”

Angel laughed out loud, covering his mouth with his unoccupied hand. “You’ve got that right, toots!”

“I’m–I-!” Alastor tensed, face reddening. His acting was certainly worse than he thought.

“Aw, Mimzy, don’t tease him so much, he’s turning redder than his shirt.” Rosie chortled. “This is his first roundabout, cut him a little slack.” Alastor made eye contact with Rosie. He knew her too well, and she knew him too well, and he knew that she knew that this was all a lie. With her talents in manipulation and observing subtle details, there was no way this would run past her. Rosie gave him a questioning look; he was going to have to talk to her later.

“This is so cute.” Mimzy pinched Alastor’s cheek. “I’m definitely going to use this as blackmail in the future.” She winked before looking over at Angel Dust. “You had better treat him well! Or I’m not letting you perform at my club anymore.” She huffed, jokingly.

“You don’t have to worry about that, Mimz.” Alastor felt Angel’s hand squeeze around his tense one, and immediately relaxed. He looked at the spider demon sitting across from him, and the demon’s face was almost…tender. Soft. Gentle. Alastor’ heart pounded in his chest.

“I wouldn’t hurt him for the world.”

Mimzy squealed as Rosie gasped, stunned by the display of “affection”. Alastor felt his face redden even more. Angel’s acting was impeccable, he must admit. Hell, Alastor even considered that the spider demon was using magic at this point.

“Oh, I am floored. Absolutely charmed!” Rosie sang. “We’ll leave you two to your date.” She waggled her eyebrows playfully at her best friend as Alastor shrunk in his seat. “It was nice seeing you again Alastor! Feel free to stop by my emporium if you need anything.” She smiled at Angel Dust, almost motherly, if Alastor’s eyes weren’t deceiving him. “And you can too! Any friend of Alastor’s is a friend of mine. And I know he can be a handful, so if you need help just let me know.”

“I am NOT a handful! Quite the opposite!” Alastor exclaimed.

“No you aren’t, you drama queen.” Mimzy teased, laughing when the loud screech of microphone feedback resounded from the deer demon. “And that offer goes for me too! If you two need another date spot, let me know and I’ll set up something at my club for you.” She winked. “Let’s go Rosie. See you two later!”

The two ladies left their table, and silence washed over them.

“You alright, Smiles?” Alastor turned to look back at the spider demon. He winced when he saw the almost concerned look on Angel’s features. “You kinda freaked there. Never saw you so…out of it.”

“I’m perfectly fine!” He played up his radio filter to try to sound more jovial. He couldn’t let Angel know anything, anything at all. “I was just caught off guard. It’s rather embarrassing to perform in such a way in front of such close friends. You can let go of my hand, by the way.”

Angel reluctantly took back his hand as Alastor quickly folded his hands in his lap.

“…Ya sure you’re alright? I didn’t fluster ya too much did I?” Angel said quietly.

“It’s fine. Nothing that I can’t handle!” Alastor played a laugh track. “I do believe that we’ve reached our goal of ‘being obvious’ because of it.”

“Yeah, we did.” Angel sipped from his frappuccino, before shooting a smirk at the Radio Demon. “You’re great at acting as a flustered boyfriend.”

“Quiet, you!” Alastor slammed his cup down on the table. And Angel laughed.

Alastor wasn’t sure why, but he knew that he wouldn’t mind listening to Angel laugh more often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alastor is a tsundere change my mind


	4. A Call from an Old Friend

Two weeks have passed since Angel and Alastor’s “first date.” Since then, Alastor had talked to Rosie about the entire debacle. He was less than pleased when her immediate reaction was to laugh and say, “Oh Alastor, you truly are dramatic.” But nonetheless, his fellow overlord was willing to keep the secret and even help get the word out. And with how popular Rosie’s emporium was among Hell’s overlords, it was _very_ easy to do so.

And that is how Alastor, unfortunately, found himself on the phone with Vox.

“Oh, this is absolutely priceless!” The TV star’s piercing voice resonated through the phone, enough to the point that Alastor had to move the phone further from his ear.

“This is none of your concern, Vox. Why are you calling me?” Alastor gritted through his smile.

“I just needed some confirmation.” Vox cackled. “And, boy, did I get it! It’s a wonder how you of all demons managed to snag _the_ Angel Dust!” Alastor heard the creak of a chair, probably because Vox was leaning back. “The oh-so-prude Radio Demon, seducing reckless porn star Angel Dust. It’s a wonder that it hasn’t made the headlines yet! Or did it happen the other way around?”

“As I said before, our relations are _none of your concern_.” Alastor pinched the bridge of his nose. “If you only called to mock me, I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut our conversation short.”

Angel – living up to the ‘reckless porn star’ title Vox gave him – burst into the room, grin lighting up his face and holding a folded brochure. Alastor jumped in his seat and held up a finger, silencing Angel before a word could leave his mouth. Angel’s eyes widened, before nodding and pretending to zip his lips, sitting down in a chair on the other side of Alastor’s desk. Alastor rolled his eyes before paying attention to Vox again.

“Oh, you’re so cold, Alastor. You were never this mean to me when I first fell into Hell. Are you still angry about that incident?” Vox asked, his patronizing voice causing Alastor’s smile to twitch.

“I have every right to be angry about that _incident_ , Vox.” Alastor sneered. “You wronged me.” The Radio Demon noticed Angel’s face change into one of confusion and…concern? He shrugged it off and continued. “You betrayed my trust. Immensely. I have no reason to give you any sort of kindness.”

Vox huffed on the other side. “This is Hell, Alastor. I thought you knew better than that. No one is kind to anyone around here, even the nicest of us.” Alastor heard a shuffle before Vox’s voice pierced his ears again. “But! I guess you managed to find _someone_ nice enough to entertain you! Somehow. As fun as this reunion was, I have business to attend to, so I’m afraid I have to bid you adieu.”

“And about time as well.” Alastor straightened in his seat. “I would say goodbye, but that would imply that I want you to be fortunate! It seems that I’ll have to settle with ‘see ya later,’ as the freshly fallen seem to say so often nowadays.”

“Wh-?”

Alastor hung up before Vox could finish. “Hello Angel. I’m terribly sorry about that…inconvenience.”

“Nah, nah it’s fine.” Angel waved as a hand as if to brush off the issue. “Vox, right? Never did like that guy.”

“You’ve met him before?”

“Yeah. Definitely one of my worse clients.” Angel barked a short laugh. “He barely knows how to make good conversation, much less know how to fuck a prostitute. Like this one time-”

“Alright, alright, I’ve heard enough.” Alastor’s smile twitched when he noticed the amused sparkle in Angel’s eyes. “What did you want to talk to me about? I don’t have all day.”

“Whatever, whatever. Get a load of this!” Angel slammed down a brochure for what looks like an aquarium. “Hell’s first aquarium opened up a few days ago! I’ve been waiting to go, and what better way to get everyone to believe our relationship than a _romantic_ aquarium date?” Angel waggled his eyebrows.

“An…aquarium? Here? In Hell?” Alastor questioned.

“RIGHT? It’s fucking weird, but they managed to pull it off!” Angel grew more excited by the minute. “I’ve been researching, and people are saying that it’s pretty good! Got a coworker at the studio that went and she loved it. I really wanna go!”

Alastor let out an amused chuckle. Angel was practically bouncing in his seat like a child riding a sugar rush. “I guess we can make arrangements for an aquarium date.”

“YES!” Angel pumped a fist into the air. “What day are you feeling? Shit, I’m actually excited for this one.”

“Calm down, cherie. I’m starting to think that you like fish more than you like alcohol.” Alastor laughed before freezing up. Did he just-?

“Wait, what did you just call me? What does ‘sherry’ mean?” Angel’s eyes widened before regaining his composure and smirking impishly. “Was that a pet name, _tesoro_?”

“I-DO NOT!” Alastor’s face reddened. “I simply called you ‘darling!’ I call everyone ‘darling!’ I didn’t mean to say that, it’s just a force of habit-"

“Aw, you’re getting flustered again!” Angel’s hands squished the Radio Demon’s cheeks. “You’re so red-"

Alastor’s eyes turned into radio dials, a shockwave sending Angel flying back into the chair. Radio static filled the air as Alastor’s grin grew sharper and his antlers branched out. The distorted microphone feedback seemed to get louder and louder before it suddenly stopped. A moment passed as Alastor’s eyes returned to normal, grin less sinister and antlers receding back to their normal size.

“I’m…I-" Alastor took a deep breath and exhaled before continuing. “I’m…so, very sorry about that. Those dastardly reflexes kicked in.”

“No, no, no, don’t worry about it. It’s my fault for forgetting about the rule.” Angel rubbed his arm where he had landed on it when he was pushed back into the chair. Alastor’s brows furrowed with concern at the gesture. “If anything, I should be asking if _you’re_ alright.”

“Why me? You’re the one that got injured.”

“With a reaction like that to me squishing your cheeks, and making a rule about touching you, you must’ve been through some bad shit.” The spider demon squeezed his arm and winced. “And I didn’t mean to bring back any bad memories, y’know? I let myself get out of control.” Angel slumped in his seat with a guilty face.

“…Yes. It did bring back some bad memories. But that’s simply because of the reflexes I’ve developed _from_ those bad memories.” Alastor relaxed, giving Angel a once over before standing up and walking to the spider’s side. Angel flinched, but Alastor simply rested a hand on his arm where it was bruised heavily. “Does this hurt?”

“I mean – kinda, but I’ve been through worse, you don’t gotta worry about it.” Angel laughed, but felt Alastor’s hand tighten slightly around his arm. “Al-"

“Stay still.”

Alastor’s hand glowed a bright green, and Angel felt the pain vanish from his arm. “Oh shit, you’ve got healing powers too? You’ve got just about everything under yer belt.”

Alastor shrugged. “Of course I do. I’m not one of Hell’s most powerful demons for nothing.”

Angel poked at his arm in wonder before glancing up at Alastor again. “…Your memories…They’re because of Vox, aren’t they?”

The Radio Demon was silent for a moment. “Partially.” He said hesitantly.

“From the incident?”

“…Partially.” Alastor made his way back to his own chair before leaning forward and resting his head on folded hands.

“Shit, Al. I’m really sorry-“

“And I’ve already forgiven you.” Alastor said. He saw the worry and shame in Angel’s eyes, and a sharp pain cut through his heart. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt the need to make Angel happy again. “Let’s get away from this dreary topic shall we?” He picked up the brochure Angel dropped on the table.

“How do you feel about tomorrow evening?”

He saw Angel’s chest heave a sigh of relief and straighten up with a smile. The room seemed much brighter now, and Alastor smiled, genuinely.

“4 o’clock?”

“It’s a date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> didn't mean to add the angst that suddenly showed up in the middle of this chapter. the characters managed to write the story themselves lmao
> 
> i hope you all enjoyed this chapter! i've already got the next one in the works and it should be out soon! i promise it's lighter than this one.


	5. Aquarium Trip

“Holy shit, Al, look at these guys!” Angel ran up and pressed his hands up against the glass, fixated on the school of angelfish swimming by. “They’re so cute!”

“They’re fish, Angel.”

“Really cute ones!” Angel turned around and put his lower hands on his hips. “C’mon, you don’t think this is at least a little cool?”

The pair were inside a glass tube surrounded by water, with sea creatures swimming all around them. Soft shades of blue washed over them and the other patrons in the room, which Al had to say looked quite beautiful.

 _Especially on Angel Dust_ , Alastor thought before mentally slapping himself back to the present. “It is quite entertaining. But aquariums aren’t really my cup of tea.”

Angel pouted. “Do you at least have a favorite fish?”

“…No? Why would I?” Alastor quirked an eyebrow, distracted by the stingray that made its way over the glass tube.

“You look like a shark person to me. Or an anglerfish. You’ve got the teeth for it.” Angel laughed when Alastor narrowed his eyes at him.

“I could say the same thing about you.” Alastor sneered when Angel kept laughing.

“Whatever, whatever.” Angel shrugged before turning his attention back to the aquarium. He suddenly gasped and ran over to a different spot. “Oh my Satan look at this one!”

“What is it now?” Alastor sighed. He made his way over to stand behind Angel to see what the spider was so excited about. When he saw it, he nearly gagged. “Goodness gracious in heaven, what is _that_?”

“A blobfish!” Angel cooed. “Ain’t it fucking adorable?”

“It’s disgusting. It looks like an organ that found its way outside of a person’s body.”

“Aw, you’re being mean.” Angel stuck his tongue out at the Radio Demon. “You aren’t entirely wrong though. They don’t have a skeleton, so they are just a lump of mush hanging around.”

“You know this _why_?” Alastor pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I love blobfish. They’re hilarious! And cute.” Angel poked at the glass. “They barely move, they don’t even try to get their food! They just lay around and wait.”

Alastor was quiet for a moment before he barked out a short laugh. “So basically this ‘blobfish’ is Husk, but if he was underwater.”

Angel whirled around, and his eyes widened before he broke out into a full-on cackle. “Holy shit, Smiles, that’s gotta be the best thing I’ve heard in a while!”

Alastor grinned. “I’m not entirely wrong, am I?”

“Nah, you hit it right on the mark!” Angel wiped a tear from his eye. “C’mon, let’s go see the rest of the aquarium.” He offered his hand to the Radio Demon. Alastor hesitated for a moment before realizing that they were supposed to be on a fake date. He had nearly forgotten that he was supposed to act lovey-dovey. The deer demon timidly took Angel’s hand and the two walked out of the glass tube and deeper into the aquarium.

“Shit, it’s gettin’ kinda cold huh? They probably bumped the air conditioning down by like, 10 degrees.” Angel shivered. “Didn’t even bring a coat or nothin’.”

Alastor looked up in confusion. “It’s not like I can change the temperature, Angel.”

“Wasn’t asking ya to.” Angel hugged himself with his two upper arms, leaving one of his lower hands to hold Alastor’s hand and the other to press against the glass tank. “Heh, look at this joker.”

Alastor peered through the glass and saw a sea snake hiding in one of the various caves in the tank. “Does your fish encyclopedia of a brain know what this…creature is?”

“An eel.” Angel murmured. “Looks fucking stupid. Apparently this is Val’s favorite fish.”

Alastor turned his attention from the eel to Angel. The spider’s demeanor seemed more monotone now, more muted. For Angel to be downtrodden just by mentioning the overlord concerned the Radio Demon.

“It seems that we both have had bad experiences with some of these overlords.” Alastor mused. Angel chuckled sarcastically.

“Well that’s the understatement of the century.” Angel muttered. “Thought I made it clear at the café that I didn’t like that asshole.”

“Crass.”

“It’s what he is.” Angel’s hand tightened around Alastor’s. He almost glared at the eel resting in its den. “He’s almost like that shitty sea snake right there.”

“How so?” Alastor questioned, looking at the eel again. A crab crawled by the cave, hanging around the eel just for a moment before the creature immediately lunged and trapped the crab in its mouth, returning to the darkness of its den with the crab writhing around and disappearing.

“He’s a manipulator and a liar. Can’t even tell ya the amount of times he’s hurt me.” Angel rubbed the back of his neck. “He waits for bait to come to him. He makes ‘em think that they’re safe with him, _believe_ that he cares for them, and treats them like garbage. We’re just cashcows for him.” Angel looked back at Alastor. The Radio Demon had never seen such sorrow in someone’s eyes before. “That’s how he managed to get me. Freshly fallen into the Lust Circuit and he found me. Babied me and made me feel loved. Now I’m just a fucking slave to him.”

“Why haven’t you left him yet? Surely there’s a way out.” Alastor asked.

“He’s got his claws tight around my contract. Wouldn’t want to let me go for his life – afterlife – if he can help it. I make way too much money for the studio for him to just let me off the hook. If he did die, then I would just be given to the TV talk show shitlord himself.”

“Vox?”

“Ya got it, Smiles.” Angel said half-heartedly. “Val’s best friend.”

Alastor was quiet for a moment. He had sincerely thought that Angel stuck around Valentino because he liked his job. Clearly that wasn’t the case. He saw a film of tears wash over Angel’s eyes.

He lifted a hand to wipe at Angel’s eyes. “I understand where you’re coming from. Vox didn’t spare me.” He paused, picking his words carefully before continuing. “But I didn’t know you were carrying such a heavy burden on your shoulders.”

Angel looked at the Radio Demon in shock before neutralizing his expression. “…You don’t know a lot of things about me.”

Alastor’s hand lingered on the spider demon’s cheek before quickly removing it. The spider’s fur felt much softer than he had anticipated.

“I think…I would like to.”

Angel was quiet. “Damn, you're always catching me off guard.” Angel sat down on a bench in the middle of the room. The room seemed quieter now, with less people occupying it. Alastor sat down next to him, noticing that their hands were still holding on to each other. It almost felt natural.

“Let’s get to know me then.” Angel smiled, squeezing Alastor’s hand. “My name is Angel Dust, a prostitute with a shitty boss. My favorite color is pink and I love aquariums, raves, and drag shows. I have a pet pig named Fat Nuggets. I’m the son of a mafia boss in New York City with an older brother and a fraternal twin sister. Ma died when I was 12. Love to cook, dance, and I know how to play the accordion.”

He grinned. “And I’m dating the Radio Demon himself.”

Alastor chuckled. “My name is Alastor, a radio host, serial killer, and cannibal. Born and raised in New Orleans. I have a penchant for cooking from my mother and hunting from my father. Never really had a healthy home life…But I always found an escape through music. And I’m dating Angel Dust, the Lust Circuit’s eccentric star prostitute.”

“It’s nice to meet ya, Alastor.” Angel stretched before standing up again.

“Likewise.” Alastor followed suit. “Now, if I read the brochure right, there’s an exhibit for an anglerfish, which I believe is quite interesting!”

“Of course you would be interested in a fucking anglerfish. It’s got your smile.” Angel snickered.

The two walked hand in hand, starting over with a clean slate but closer than they were before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> only these two can bond over shitty overlords.


	6. Confusion

Alastor tapped his fingers against the wood of his desk in his office. Other than the broadcast he had finished today (much to Charlie’s dismay), today was quite dull. He had nothing else to do other than finish the pile of paperwork laying around on his desk, but gathering the energy to work on them was proving to be difficult. Mostly because his mind kept wandering to a certain spider demon haunting his life as of late.

He and Angel Dust have been “together” for a solid month now. Nobody other than Husk were skeptical of their relationship, but there was little he could do about that – Husk has been around him long enough to be immune to his tricks. For some reason, though, Alastor couldn’t stop thinking about Angel Dust. The way the spider talks to Charlie and Vaggie with so much ease. How he teases Husk so earnestly when he wants a drink. How his eyes shine when he talks to Niffty about his latest dress design. His smile. His laugh. Alastor immediately shook his head to rid himself of the thought. His lack of focus only started happening after their aquarium date, and by the greatest demons in Hell, Alastor couldn’t figure out why. Maybe he felt pity? Sympathy for Angel Dust? Or maybe he was lonely enough to want to be around Angel more often? He couldn’t put his finger on it.

He thought about what Angel had told him on their date. It seems like he and Angel have both been given the short end of the stick in terms of the overlords they’ve been dealt with. With how…extroverted and spontaneous the spider was, Alastor thought that Angel loved working under Valentino. Apparently the spider is just as good at hiding his feelings as Alastor.

Recently, he noticed Angel coming back from work with less enthusiasm as usual. The spider would typically walk straight to the bar to harass Husk with whatever flirt he can come up with and talk with the girls for a little while. But for the past week, Angel came back with a more reserved tone. When Alastor had dropped by the bar a few days ago, Angel gave him a smile – which came off more as a wince – and clutched his arms more. He also noticed a limp that Angel was trying to hide from the other hotel staff.

“What the hell are they putting him through over there?” Alastor had heard Husk mutter under his breath. “Barely talks anymore. I’m starting to fucking miss his stupid pick-up lines.”

Suddenly, two knocks resounded through the room, jostling Alastor from his thoughts. Niffty poked her head in and smiled. “Hi boss! Just here to do some tidying up if you don’t mind.”

“It’s alright. Do what you must.” Alastor waved a hand and picked up a pen. He had wasted enough time.

The sound of tiny zips as Niffty dashed through the room were the only noises until Niffty broke it. “Do you know what’s going on with Angel lately?”

Alastor looked up from the paper he was looking over (and NOT staring blankly at, thank you very much). “Pardon?”

Niffty shrugged. “It’s just that Angel seems more down in the dumps now. It’s probably got something to do with that job of his.” Her shoulders slumped, causing the duster in her hand to drag against the floor.

“I wouldn’t know about that. I don’t ask him about his work life.” Alastor leafed through the stack of papers. “…Has he talked to you lately?”

Niffty shook her head. “No. I thought you would’ve asked him, with you being his boyfriend and all.”

Alastor froze. Was he allowed to do that? He and Angel never really covered this part of the fake relationship. What do good boyfriends usually do with something like this?

“I…Well, I didn’t want to intrude. I thought he would like some space.”

“For a whole week?”

“…Yes?”

Niffty looked off to the side, in a ‘can you believe this guy?’ sort of way. “Look, since this is your first go at a relationship, I’m gonna help you out!” She zipped over to one of the chairs in front of his desk and flopped down on the seat.

“I can assure you that I know what I’m-“

“I don’t think you do, sir.” Niffty interrupted. “I get that maybe Angel needs space, but have you considered talking to him at all? If this whole thing is left alone, who knows what might happen? To him or anyone else?”

Alastor was quiet, so Niffty took this as her cue to continue. “I cleaned his room up when he was gone, and…it doesn’t look like he’s taking this so well. I don’t remember a time when I saw that many beer bottles in his room. And I saw a bunch of bloody bandages in the trash with a lot of other medical looking stuff.” Niffty crossed her arms across her chest. “I think his problem is a lot bigger than we think it is.”

Alastor clutched the arms of his chair, his nails digging into the wood. “And you haven’t thought to tell any of us?”

“I told Charlie because I’m required to. She’s trying to talk to him, but he won’t budge. I didn’t tell you because I thought you would’ve been one of the first people to know.” Niffty stared at Alastor.

“I…I don’t…” Alastor trailed off before making eye contact with the little bug. “What do you propose I do about this?”

Niffty leaned forward in her seat. “Talk to him. Or at the very least do something to cheer him up.” She replied. “I just wanna see him smile again. He’s been such a downer, even Husk is getting worried. We’re all worried about him.” She stood up from her seat and grabbed the duster that was abandoned on the floor. “I gotta get going. Just please try to do something for him?”

Alastor leaned back in his seat. “I will.”

Niffty zipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Alastor crossed his arms. Sure, he saw Angel limping to his room, but he had thought it was because of his work with his clients. He knew how rough it could get. But the bloody bandages? And to warrant medical supplies? Consistently? There was something off about that. And Alastor would place his bets on Valentino.

His eyes switched to radio dials briefly before he shook his head. No, he wouldn’t – couldn’t – attack Valentino. That would surely seal his death, since Vox was in cahoots with the cockroach. And if Vox got his hands on him…well, Alastor wouldn’t know how he could handle that again. He shook, before standing up and pacing his room.

“Something to cheer Angel up…” He mused out loud.

_“My favorite color is pink and I love aquariums, raves, and drag shows. I have a pet pig named Fat Nuggets. I’m the son of a mafia boss in New York City with an older brother and a fraternal twin sister. Ma died when I was 12. Love to cook, dance, and I know how to play the accordion.”_

Alastor stopped in his tracks and tapped his chin thoughtfully before stepping out of his office.

_I know exactly what I can do_ , he thought triumphantly, heading straight for the kitchen and determined to bring a smile back on the spider’s face once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the kinda belated update! when quarantine started, it decided to take away my writing inspiration too lol i haven't been up to writing or drawing anything as of late, so this chapter ended up taking a longer than it should've.
> 
> i also have a tumblr here: https://niccichi.tumblr.com/ ! if you wanna yell at me here, feel free to! thanks for reading!


	7. Revelation

Alastor paced the kitchen, nervously wringing his hands with a towel. On his way to the kitchen, he had passed Niffty finishing up on cleaning a client’s room.

_“Tell Angel Dust to meet me in the kitchen. And make it quick!”_ He had told her with pure confidence. And with a mock salute, she bolted from the cleaning cart and upstairs to Angel’s room. He wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, since it has been nearly 10 minutes since he arrived in the kitchen, but it’s not helping him.

With each passing minute, he gets more and more nervous. What if Angel Dust didn’t like the sudden invite? Or the plan? Maybe he really needs alone time, and Alastor was just intruding.

He tried to reassure himself that he was doing the right thing, especially after his talk with Niffty, but still felt uneasy anyway. After all, he and the spider demon were only just hitting it off after the aquarium date. Maybe he was rushing things.

The Radio Demon couldn’t ponder much longer though, since Niffty came barging in with Angel in tow. “Here he is boss! Don’t make too much of a mess!” She cheered, dropping Angel in a chair all too jovially before dashing away.

“Jeez, fuck, teach her some fucking manners, wouldja?” Angel huffed. “She just picked me up and ran over here, didn’t even consent!”

“Ah…I apologize, she can be rash.” Alastor rubbed at his neck. “But I did ask her to bring you here. I wasn’t intruding on anything, was I?”

He noticed the spider demon reach down to rub at his calf before he stood up slowly. “Nah, you didn’t. Just wish I had a little warning.” Angel said, shaking his head and smiling at Alastor. His smile faded quickly, his face morphing into shock when he looked at Alastor properly. “Al, your hair…?”

Alastor’s face heated up, reaching to tug lightly at his ponytail. “Oh, yes, I tied it up. I wanted it out of the way. It doesn’t look bad, does it?” The Radio Demon rarely ever ties his hair up, only doing it in the privacy of his home, away from onlookers. He didn’t even stop to consider what Angel would think of him now.

“No! No, it – I – holy shit you look good.” Angel waved his hands frantically. Alastor unintentionally sounded radio static.

“I do? You don’t have to be dishonest with me, Angel, if it looks atrocious, I can take it down.” Alastor tapped his fingers rapidly against the kitchen island, before reaching back to remove the hair tie. This was a terrible idea, absolutely terrible. He shouldn’t have gotten so comfortable –

Suddenly, Angel’s hand was gripping his wrist. His face was all too close for Alastor’s heart to beat naturally, he could practically count each mascara-covered eyelash. “No! I’m being completely serious, Al. This is a good look on ya.” Angel said softly, moving Alastor’s hand back between them and holding it ever-so-gently in his own. The deer demon stared into glowing pink eyes before blinking out of his reverie and immediately jumping back. He laughed timidly – the radio filter a little bit heavier – before whirling around to face the stove and clearing his throat.

“A-Anyway! I had you come down here because I noticed you have been a little downer as of late!” Alastor announced.

“I-Wha? You have?”

“Absolutely!” He turned back around to face the spider demon. “And we can’t have that, right? What ‘boyfriend’ would I be, if I had just let you mope around the hotel like that?”

Angel was silent, gawking at Alastor. In an attempt to hide his nervousness, Alastor tapped a finger under Angel’s chin. “Close your mouth, darling. A wasp might get in there, or whatever it is Charlie says nowadays.”

“Oh, uh.” Angel stuttered intelligently. “Sorry. But I really didn’t think you’d notice. Tried real hard to make sure none of you guys would see it.”

“See what?”

“It.” Angel crossed his arms. “So what did you want to do?”

Alastor furrowed his eyebrows, a little frustrated that Angel won’t talk to him. Maybe he _was_ going a little too fast.

“Well, remember what you told me when you re-introduced yourself to me at the aquarium?” Alastor asked. “You said you loved to cook, correct?”

“Yeah?”

“So,” Alastor flicked a stray strand of hair out of his face, “I was hoping that maybe…you could teach me a thing or two about Italian cuisine.”

Angel quirked an eyebrow before smirking. “Finally broadening your horizons, Al?”

“What do you mean by ‘finally,’ dear? I’ve always been open-minded!”

“Uh-huh. Sure. We’re just gonna pretend that you didn’t shut down Charlie’s ideas when you first got here, babe.” Angel taunted. Since when did they both start using pet names so…liberally? “But yeah, I’ll teach ya. Wouldn’t want your Southern cooking to fuck up some good fucking pasta.”

“Wh-!? Excuse you! I could easily make this on my own!” Alastor huffed.

“Whatever helps ya sleep at night, sweetheart.” Angel cackled before reaching up to grab a bowl from the cabinet. “Let’s do this.”

* * *

After an hour or so – Alastor lost track of time, much to his chagrin – everything was done. The pair made the traditional spaghetti and meatballs with breadsticks. Although Angel was skeptical about the meat that Alastor had taken out of the fridge, and Alastor _almost_ messed up on the dough for the breadsticks, the meal had turned out splendid. The pair set up the table in the dining room, calling in everyone after Alastor made a show of taking off his hair tie with Angel practically on the floor cackling. They managed to make enough for the hotel’s staff and its very few patrons, much to Charlie’s delight.

“This is amazing, you guys!” Charlie squealed when she arrived at the dining room with Vaggie in tow. “You actually made enough for everyone?”

“Yep. We wanted to make more than enough, in case Alastor fucked up somewhere.” Angel grinned.

“I am right here.”

“I know, and I’m still gonna say it.” Angel poked at Alastor’s cheek teasingly, escaping into the kitchen before Alastor could unleash his wrath on him.

Before long, Niffty zipped into the room with Husk trudging along after her. “Shit, I haven’t smelled food this good in a while.” Husk sniffed the air before settling into a chair.

“I’m glad it’s to your liking, Husker.” Alastor sat down across from him when Angel came back out with the breadsticks, placing them in the center before plopping down next to Alastor.

Once everyone started digging in, the atmosphere brightened up considerably.

Charlie sighed in content when she took a bite from her plate. “I didn’t know that you could cook, Angel! This is super good.”

“Oh, you shoulda seen me back when the studio had a party. I made a whole fuckin’ feast for everyone, and damn near everyone told me to start a restaurant if I stop this whole porn gig.” Angel laughed.

Alastor noticed Vaggie poking at the meatball suspiciously, before nudging it off to the side. “Yeah, it’s pretty good I guess.”

“Hey! Eat that! Don’t waste food.” Angel scolded, pointing a breadstick at her menacingly.

“Pretty sure it’s _not food_.” Vaggie shot back.

“I’ll take it if you don’t want it!” Niffty raised a hand, happily shifting her plate over so that Vaggie could roll the meatballs over to the bug demon’s plate.

Angel cackled. “Weak bitch.”

Alastor smiled gently at Angel when the spider demon was distracted by Vaggie. It was nice to hear him laugh again.

Charlie laughed a little more timidly when Vaggie glared at him. “Ah, on a brighter note, I’m glad that you’re feeling better, Angel.”

“Yeah, you’ve been bringing down the fuckin’ atmosphere for the last week.” Husk muttered before taking a swig of alcohol.

“That’s rich, coming from you.” Angel took a bite out of his breadstick. “But really, I am feeling a lot better. I’ve got Al to thank for that.”

Angel nudged Alastor’s arm, causing the demon to jolt in his seat. “Oh, it was nothing spectacular, really.” Alastor said. “I was just…I just wanted to make you happier, is all.”

He could hear Husk groan and Vaggie gagging, but all he could focus on was Angel’s gaze on him. Angel’s eyes had softened – he seemed to do that a lot with Alastor, he noticed – and his smile was gentle. He had a glove-clad hand on Alastor’s resting on the table, squeezing it gently.

“And it meant the world to me.”

Alastor’s heart beat stuttered before beating faster, his face reddening. He knew this feeling. But it couldn’t be true, right? It couldn’t possibly be true.

Suddenly, it felt like everyone else had disappeared, and all he had eyes for was for Angel Dust.

“Al?”

There was no way. The Radio Demon couldn’t possibly…

“Alastor?”

He couldn’t. Not again.

“Alastor, you still in there?”

A hand on his cheek.

The loud screech of a chair against wood, Alastor pushing away from the table.

“I-“ His eyes flitted to everyone’s eyes at the table. Charlie’s concerned, Vaggie’s shocked, Husk’s questioning, Niffty’s curious.

Angel’s eyes, worried.

“I’m afraid I must go.” Alastor hastily left the room, running up to his hotel room and away from the calls of Charlie and Angel as he left. He burst out into the balcony, gripping the railing tightly in his hands. He could feel his shadows peering at him.

He gripped the lapel of his suit, right above where his heart would be.

_“You mean the world to me, Alastor.”_

He slammed a fist down on the railing. He couldn’t feel this again. He couldn’t go through this again. Not after last time.

_“You don’t know a lot of things about me.”_

_“I think…I would like to.”_

He sank down on the floor.

_He couldn’t be in love with Angel Dust._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didn't mean to make this angsty all of a sudden. but hey! al finally figures his shit out, sort of.
> 
> i'm super sorry about the long wait - like a month wait. online school is up, and i've got my certification test and AP tests coming up in two weeks, so i've got my hands tied. won't be able to post in a long while, probably not until testing season is over. but i'll try to churn out what i can in the meantime.
> 
> i'm more active on tumblr and always open to talk though! i make art more often as well. https://niccichi.tumblr.com/

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys like this story so far! It's been a while since I've written something, so the pacing might be terrible, but I'm mostly using this as a stress reliever (and also because there is a HUGE lack in pining Alastor for this pairing). Thanks for reading!


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